‘Les Mis’: students experience more than a musical

For the past few months, the Groton High School (GHS) Drama Club has been hard at work rehearsing for its production of “Les Misérables” (aka “Les Mis”), and the fruits of their labor will finally hit the GHS stage at 400 Peru Rd. March 10 through 12 at 7 p.m. nightly.

“Les Mis” features one of the most memorable scores of all time and is the world’s longest running musical. Epic, grand and uplifting, this sung-through piece features a cast of exceptional singers in our school and overflows with melodies that are already standards.

Directing her 16th straight musical for the drama club, Annette Twitchell said “Les Mis” is her favorite of all time and that she has long dreamed of directing it.

“I have been waiting to have the right combination of students and the right production team to make it all come together,” Twitchell said. “This year, I found I had both dream teams. Following the auditions, students completely embraced their roles [and] then came to rehearsals willing to take direction to improve their skills. A show that is sung from beginning to end is very vocally demanding, and these students have risen to the challenge.”

“Les Mis” is based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, and it is important to note that Hugo’s inspiration for this story was not birthed from the French Revolution of 1789 but instead from the uprising that took place in 1832.

The rich were getting richer, and the poor were getting poorer. France was occupied by mobs, barricades were built throughout Paris, and Hugo was caught in the crossfire at one such location, an observer to many losing their lives while others looked on. From this event, he derived the story.

Twitchell has always found a way to integrate each year’s production with education. This year was no exception, as she utilized the depth of emotion in the play to turn her students’ focus on examining how our emotions and perceptions affect us and our perceptions of others.

“The themes of love, compassion and suffering in ‘Les Mis,’ coupled with the pursuit of both justice and redemption, result in a compelling tale that causes one to pause and reflect,” Twitchell said. “As the students examined their characters through the lens of compassion, they gained perspective for how to portray their roles.”

Adding to all of that, the setting of France and its history is also quite meaningful for Twitchell, as she had the opportunity to live there for a time as a student herself and has taught French at GHS for decades.

As the advisor to the French Club at GHS, Twitchell, as well as three adult chaperones, will be taking 17 students on a 12-day tour in April, including two days in Normandy visiting the American Cemetery and the D-Day beaches. Twitchell said that six of the 17 students traveling on the tour are also involved in “Les Mis.”

“The fact that we are performing this iconic show based in France and revolving around the uprising of the people who fought for their freedom will make our trip to Normandy even more special,” Twitchell said. “I’m sure the anthem of ‘The People’s Song’ will be ringing in our ears as we walk that hallowed ground in France: ‘Do you hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again. When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes.’”

Twitchell has been traveling to France with her students approximately every two years for the past 30 but, in that timeframe, has rarely had a large enough group to be able to take the additional two-day excursion.

“It has only happened twice before, and the last time, we received help from the community to pay for it,” Twitchell said.

This year, the extra cost is almost $500 per student, and although the students and their families pay for their own trip costs — with fundraising efforts to help — it can still be a far reach to add that extra excursion.

Twitchell reached out to both the Groton American Legion and the Groton Rotary Club to inquire about the possibility of some financial assistance for the Normandy excursion and was overwhelmed by the result.

“Both the Legion and the Rotary responded with extremely generous contributions,” Twitchell said. “And then, some other individual community members and organizations also stepped up with generous additions. Every student is now covered for this amazing extra experience.”

Groton American Legion Post 800 Commander Frank Heine explained the post’s reasons for its unwavering support.

“The members of Carrington-Fuller Post 800 applaud your efforts to expose the GHS students to the World War II history associated with D-Day and the beaches of Normandy, France,” he said. “The Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, were the largest seaborne invasion in history.”

Heine included some statistics on how many crafts, vessels, minesweepers and troops were involved in the effort, which included 875,000 men.

“The operation began the liberation of France and later western Europe and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front,” Heine added. “Few Americans get the opportunity to visit those areas and to fully appreciate the incredible sacrifices made by our uniformed services. We hope that the students on this trip will come to understand the values of those sacrifices and how our ultimate victory in that war has afforded us the liberties we now cherish.”

The timing of this show and how it correlates with the trip to France, as well as the profound effect it is already having on the students involved, will undoubtedly spill out from their very souls and permeate the hearts of all who attend one or more of the performances of “Les Misérables.”

For tickets, call (607) 898-5803, email Kelly Bishop at kbishop@grotoncs.org or purchase at the door.

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.

In brief:

Corned beef and cabbage, anyone?

The Groton American Legion Post 800 will be starting the St. Patrick’s Day celebration a little early with its St. Patrick’s Day corned beef or ham and cabbage dinner March 12 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Dinner includes corned beef or ham, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, Irish soda bread and dessert.

Reservations are required by calling (607) 898-3837. Takeout is available, or dine in with two seating times at 4:30 or 5:30 p.m. Live music by Adam Parker will follow from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

TST/GHS Student of the Month

The following Groton High School student was recognized as outstanding student of the month for January at the TST BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center: Kori Hilker, Outdoor Education.

These students are chosen based on qualities such as character, leadership, citizenship, work ethic and attendance and should be compassionate, honest, trustworthy, responsible and a positive role model.

Congratulations, Kori!

Another craft night opportunity

Registrations are now being accepted for Sewing with Paula at J’s Arrays, 211 Main St., on March 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. This will be a guided session to cut out and sew a 36-inch table runner, four napkins and four coasters. Choose your material from several options. Sewing machines are also provided for your use.

Cost is $35 per person and includes all supplies, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, a $5 coupon toward your next J’s Arrays craft night and more. Space is limited. To register or to ask questions, contact Janette at jsarrays211@gmail.com.